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Your Governance Experts

Motivational speaking & organizational consulting

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Michael A. (Mike) Conduff is the President and CEO of The Elim Group –Your Governance Experts, a governance, leadership, training, speaking and consulting firm. Mike has 35+ years of leadership, management and governance experience. He is considered one of the country’s leading experts in the field of municipal and not-for-profit governance, having served as a CEO, Board Chair and Consultant himself. In his CEO roles Mike led highly commended public organizations with multi-billion dollar responsibilities and thousands of employees. His energy and enthusiasm as well as his facilitation and group process skills have earned him the reputation of being the “go to” guy for helping city councils and boards of directors look to the future and develop the processes to get there.

Mr. Conduff earned his B.S. in civil engineering at the University of New Hampshire, graduating Cum Laude. His M.B.A. is from Pittsburg State University. He is also a charter graduate of the Carver Policy Governance® Academy and is a past Chair of the Board of Directors of the International Policy Governance® Association. Mike’s clients have included the International City/County Management Association, The National League of Cities Leadership Training Institute, The NLC University, The National Committee on Planned Giving, The Partnership for Philanthropic Planning, The Community Associations Institute, The Republic of the Marshall Islands, and many many cities, associations, and other non-profit and for-profit corporations.

A multiple time Best-Selling Author with Jack Canfield (of Chicken Soup fame) for their book The Success Secret and with Brian Tracy for their book Pushing to the Front – Front Line Strategies from the World’s Leading Experts, Mike is also the author or co-author of a number of other books including The OnTarget Board Member – 8 Indisputable Behaviors, now in its fourth edition, Democracy at the Doorstep – True Stories from the Green Berets of Public Administrators, Bottom Line Green – How America’s Cities are Saving the Planet (And Money Too!), Democracy at the Doorstep, Too! –More True Stories and The Policy Governance® Fieldbook, a book on the practical applications of Policy Governance®. Additionally he writes a regular governance column for Public Management Magazine, is a contributing author to the ICMA “Green Book” series and is frequently published or quoted in other national publications. He is a member of the National Academy of Best Selling Authors, and has been honored in USA Today. Known as a “master of motivation,” he is a sought after and frequent speaker at international, national, regional and state-wide conferences, seminars and events.

In addition to serving the International City/County Management Association as their Special Liaison for Governance, Mr. Conduff is a Fellow of the prestigious National Academy of Public Administration. He has been honored with the 2006 TCMA Mentoring Award in memory of Gary Gwyn, the 2004 International Award for Career Development in Memory of L. P. (Perry) Cookingham from ICMA, and the especially meaningful Joy Sansom Mentor Award from the Urban Management Assistants of North Texas for his commitment to helping others achieve their potential. The Center for Digital Government has awarded Mike their coveted “Best of Texas Visionary Award.”

Mike traces his Native American roots to his Great Grandfather and grew up on stories of his Cherokee ancestry. He attributes his love of motivational speaking and telling stories to his grandmothers. A graduate of the 1988 Leadership Kansas Class, Mr. Conduff is active in a number of professional and civic organizations. He serves on the Athletic Council for the University of North Texas. He is a full member and Past President of the Texas City Management Association. He was one of the very first credentialed members of the International City/County Management Association, and served on its International Executive Board. He also served six years on the Board of Directors of the Kansas Association of City/CountyManagement, holding all of the statewide offices including President of the Association. He is a Past President of the Kansas Engineering Society; a charter member of the Board of Directors of the Kansas Entrepreneurial Center, and a past member of the Board of Directors of the League of Kansas Municipalities. Mr. Conduff is fully credentialed by the International City/County Management Association and is licensed as a Professional Engineer and a Registered Land Surveyor in the State of Kansas (retired status,) and served eight years on the Kansas State Board of Technical Professions, twice as Chairman of the Engineering Section and twice as Chairman of the Full Board. He also served four years on the Kansas Water Authority.

Mike says, “In my experience, people who give of their time and energy to serve on a Board or City Council are unbelievably caring individuals doing their absolute best to make a difference. My passion is to provide the leadership, motivation and training to give them the tools and insights they need to be successful."

If you would like to help your municipality, school, association or non-profit governing body accomplish more and operate more effectively, contact The Elim Group today!